Reds v Chiefs Round 7 Super 14 2009

[disco]

Undefeated at home the Reds & will have thier captain James Horwill back as well as wallaby prop Greg Holmes & lineout general Van Humphries.

Tough game as the Chiefs racked up a massive total against the Blues on the weekend & have definitely found some form with the return of star All Blacks Sivivatu & Muliania.

Plenty of good ball runners on both sides I think the Reds will have to be smart @ the breakdown & not over commit players on defence & choose when to attack hard for turnover ball.

Kick chase is very important if you give the Chiefs back 3 any room they will burn you so the Reds need to find touch more often then not.

Some nice headaches for Phil Mooney this week on who starts & who rides the pine in the forwards, I originally wanted to start Horwill but after the Chiefs display on the weekend his fitness may be a problem so I think I know how I'd play it the forwards.

My starting pack would be: 1.Holmes 2.Hardman 3.Weeks 4.Van Hump 5.MMM 6.HB 7.Braid 8.Houston
After 50 minutes I would replace Houston with Horwill & Weeks with Kennedy so my pack would be:1.Holmes 2.Hardman 3.Kennedy 4.Van Hump 5.Horwill 6.MMM 7.Braid 8.HB.

I'd play a 5-2 split on the bench as we know barnes is halfback cover anyway so my 22 for the weekend.

1.Holmes 2.hardman 3.Weeks 4.VH 5.MMM 6.HB 7.Braid 8.Houtson 9.Mc??? 10.Cooper 11.Hynes 12.Barnes 13.Ioane 14. Conner 15.McLinden

16. S Fainga'a 17.Kennedy 18.Horwill 19.Byrnes/??? 20.Laufutu 21.Anthony Fainga'a 22.Davies

 

[Pfitzy]

Farken awesome news about Jimmy Horwill. Hope he's fully recovered and ready to do some damage. Having a forward pack with 4, 5, 6 as him, MMM, and Higginbotham would be very destructive.

I'm starting to really like the look of this Reds outfit. Shame they lost their starting halfbacks really because they were building nicely.

 

[disco]

Shame they lost their starting halfbacks really because they were building nicely.

Yeah bad timing for the Reds.

 

[TOCC]

well Lucas hasnt been ruled out yet, but its more then likely he will be, on top of that Horwill hasnt been cleared to play for the Chiefs(although he should be ready).

 

[TOCC]

GREAT NEWS.... Lucas will be starting in the match against the Chiefs with McKibbin on the bench!

Horwill is also expected to start with Van Humphries at lock, with McMenimen moving to 6 and Higgingbotham to the bench to be used as a impact player later on in the match.

 

[Sully]

Wow you must have great sources!

 

[formeropenside]

tough on the Higgster, but you'd have to think he'll get 40 minutes at least

 

[fatprop]

So Byrne and VH will be the locks? Not VH & MMM with Horwill on the bench?

 

[RugbyReg]

fp, Horwill will apparently start (Berrick still skipper) and told to run until he's stuffed, and then replaced. As TOCC called above, he'll partner with Van, with MMM at 6 and Higgers benched.

Daniel Braid will be key, more for his insight into the Chiefs team and players.

 

[fatprop]

fp, Horwill will apparently start (Berrick still skipper) and told to run until he's stuffed, and then replaced. As TOCC called above, he'll partner with Van, with MMM at 6 and Higgers benched.

Daniel Braid will be key, more for his insight into the Chiefs team and players.

OK, I still think it will be the Reds error rate in the backline will be the issue. With Mils, Masaga, Sivi and Kahui out wide the Reds won't have the fire power/pace match any counters.

 

[naza]

fp, Horwill will apparently start (Berrick still skipper) and told to run until he's stuffed, and then replaced. As TOCC called above, he'll partner with Van, with MMM at 6 and Higgers benched.

Daniel Braid will be key, more for his insight into the Chiefs team and players.

OK, I still think it will be the Reds error rate in the backline will be the issue. With Mils, Masaga, Sivi and Kahui out wide the Reds won't have the fire power/pace match any counters.

Plus Kahui is like an extra openside with his work at the breakdown.

Good thing the Reds will be fresh from their week off.

 

[formeropenside]

fp, Horwill will apparently start (Berrick still skipper) and told to run until he's stuffed, and then replaced. As TOCC called above, he'll partner with Van, with MMM at 6 and Higgers benched.

Daniel Braid will be key, more for his insight into the Chiefs team and players.

OK, I still think it will be the Reds error rate in the backline will be the issue. With Mils, Masaga, Sivi and Kahui out wide the Reds won't have the fire power/pace match any counters.

Yeah, with Digby, Hynes, Connor and McLinden, the Reds outside backs sure are hard up for pace.

But the Chiefs are looking good with all their stars back, thats for sure.

 

[Spook]

I reckon the Reds should play a tight game against the Chiefs. Fuck taking them on out wide.

 

[Ash]

I'm worried about Masaga, not so much about the Chiefs pace out wide - the Reds easily have them matched in that department as Connor, Hynes, Ioane and McLinden are all quick in their own right.

Masaga is fast and is deceptively hard to tackle, and Kahui is good at offloading and setting up his outside man. Masaga so far has been very close to the player of the tournament - so he is the guy to watch for me. The other worrying this is Sivivatu playing himself into some good form - prior to the Blues game I didn't think that Sivi had been in good form this year. Add in the return of Muliaina, and you have a strong, quick, running fullback, plus I think that he's a real stablising influence for them. Without Mils the Chiefs looked unsettled at the back.

The other battle to watch for is the backrow. Latimer, Messam and Lauaki form a good combination. I am hoping that Lauaki has one of those shocking game he is prone to have about every second game.

I'd love to see the Reds really concentrate where I think the Chiefs are more vulnerable - decision making at 10 and 12, lineout, and perhaps in tight. A lot of pressure on Donald and whomever will play 12 (Bruce?) and the Reds can restrict some of the danger out wide. Oh, and the Reds have to make sure they kick the ball out.

 

[spectator]

I hope the intensity of the Reds hasn't diminished because of the week off. Patience and a superior forward game in the set piece might be the priority this week as ball retention will be key.

Will be a tough one and any side that can put on as many points as the Chiefs did last week will be dangerous.

Agree, Sivi awesome last week and Masaga in outstanding form.

 

[formeropenside]

Apparently Holmes and Ezra Taylor are in doubt with injuries, but Horwill and Van the man are both good, as is Lucas.

I assume the team will be announced tomorrow.

 

[RugbyReg]

and apparently Horwill will be skipper again and Barnes will do the kicking (for goal)>

 

[Scotty]

I'm sure he is the best kicker of the three, so it was about time he was given the responsibility. I can only assume he hasn't done it so far due to Mooney not wanting to put too much on his shoulders?

 

[formeropenside]

Horwill, Humphries return for QR Reds against Chiefs

Wednesday, 25 March 2009

QR Reds captain James Horwill will make his long awaited return to rugby against the fourth placed Chiefs at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday night (kickoff 7pm).

Horwill will be reunited at lock with lineout general Van Humphries, who missed the Reds' last game against the Sharks with a shoulder injury.

Head Coach Phil Mooney said the return of the two senior locks meant a move for Wallaby flanker Hugh McMeniman back to his preferred blindside flank position, forcing dynamic backrower Scott Higginbotham back to the bench and lock Adam Byrnes out of the game 22.

"It's a tough call on 'Higgers', who's been playing extremely well for us, and on Byrnesey, who really stepped up against the Sharks," Mooney said.

"In many ways it was our most difficult selection meeting this year, but it's important for the team that we have that sort of competition for places."

The only other change to the team that defeated the previously unbeaten Sharks at Suncorp a fortnight ago was the reserve scrumhalf, where uncapped QAS Reds Academy player Brendan McKibbin will fill in for the suspended Will Genia, who will miss three games for a dangerous tackle during the Sharks match.

Prop Greg Holmes (upper shoulder) and backrower Ezra Taylor (shoulder) were not considered for selection, but flyhalf Quade Cooper (knee) and scrumhalf Ben Lucas (ribs) will be fit to play.



The Reds? team is:

1. Ben Daley (Gold Coast Breakers)
2. Sean Hardman (Brothers)
3. Laurie Weeks (University)
4. Van Humphries (Souths)
5. James Horwill (c) (University)
6. Hugh McMeniman (Wests)
7. Daniel Braid (Sunshine Coast Stringrays)
8. Leroy Houston (Norths)
9. Ben Lucas (Sunnybank)
10. Quade Cooper (Souths)
11. Peter Hynes (GPS)
12. Berrick Barnes (Wests)
13. Digby Ioane (Sunnybank)
14. Blair Connor (Norths)
15. Mark McLinden

16. Saia Fainga'a (Souths)
17. Jack Kennedy (Souths)
18. Scott Higginbotham (Wests)
19. Poutasi Luafutu (Wests)
20. Brendan McKibbin (Brothers)
21. Anthony Fainga'a (Souths)
22. Rod Davies (GPS)

The curtain raiser match on Saturday night is Downlands College v St Laurence?s, kicking off at 5pm.

Looks like Edwards is still on the outer, despite being first choice tighthead just a few weeks back.

Did we buy a lemon in Ezra Taylor? Or did MMM find a way to pass on the injury curse he inherited from Heenan?

 

[Ash]

Byrnes very unlucky to miss out.

Higgenbottham unlucky to be benched, but can't see Horwill playing more than 50 minutes.